Multiple position switch operator



April 13, 1965 H. E. swANsoN ETA. 3,177,732

MULTIPLE POSITION SWITCH OPERATOR Filed March 21, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ia l Obert G. Zac/a' BYeofge Elma/f,

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April 13, 1965 H. E. swANsoN ETAL 3,177,732

MULTIPLE POSITION SWITCH OPERATOR Filed March 21, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,177,732 MULTIPLE PDSITION SWITCH OPERATOR Howard E. Swanson, Chicago, Robert C. Zack, Momence,

and George E. Lusk, Downers Grove, lll., assignors to G & W Electric Specialty Company, Blue Island, Ill., a.

corporation of Illinois Filed Mar. 21, 1962, Ser. No. 13l,395 8 Claims. (Cl. 74-97) The invention relates to mechanicaal operators for electric switches and has reference to a multiple position switch operator capable of rotation in either a clock- 4Wise or a counter-clockwise direction and having snap action from various angular positions to the next angular position, respectively, for performing the switching 0perations.

It is desirable from the standpoint of safety of the switchman to provide a mechanical operator for actuating high voltage electric switches. Cnce the switchman has provided the necessary energy for the device to perform a switching operation, the mechanical operator will complete the actual current interruption, and at the desired rate of speed, regardless of any additional action on the part of the switchman. Furthermore, once the mechanical switch operator takes over the switching operations, the switchman cannot slow down, stop, or reverse the action. A switch operator capable of providing this type of operation is said to be trip free.

An object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical switch operator which will be trip free, which will incorporate a pair of coil springs as power elements, with one spring or the other being operative, depending on the direction of rotation, and wherein the operator will also incorporate a pair of latching levers, the said latching levers being released automatically when the operative coil spring is fully compressed to initiate the switching operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanical switch operator which will have multiple switch operating positions within a full revolution in either direction, and wherein the various positions are determined by latching levers having latching and releasing action with respect to the stops provided by a stop plate.

Another object is to provide a mechanical switch operator which will include an operating lever, a pair of coil springs as energy elements for the operating lever, a pair of latching levers, and a cocking lever, and wherein the cooking lever will provide a camming plate for camming the latching levers into a release position at the desired times.

With these and other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended thereto.

In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the device and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts- FIGURE 1 is a front plan view of a multiple position `switch operator embodying the improvements of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the multiple switch operator of FIGURE 1 taken substantially along line 2--2 of said FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a front plan view of the multiple position switch operator of FIGURE 1 but which shows the cocking lever in a cocked position just prior to release of the latching levers thereby;

FIGURE 4 is a front plan view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the parts in the next switch operated position from FIGURE 3 and wherein the latching levers are ice again latched preventing rotation of the operating lever in either direction; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional View taken substantially along line 5-5 of FIGURE 1 and illustrating the cam-,

mining action of the cooking lever.

The embodiment selected for illustrating the invention basically includes a stop plate 10 which is preferably circular in outline, and which may comprise a part of the lid or closure plate for the container housing the electric switch mechanism to be actuated by the switch operator. The inside surface of the stop plate is substantially tlat, FIGURE 2, the same having, however, a reinforced section H centrally of the plate for journalling the terminal end of the switch operating shaft 12. On `the outside surface of the plate 10 a plurality of stop ramps are provided such as 3d, 35, etc., and 4d, 47, etc., as clearly shown in FIGURES 1, 3 and 4, to be hereinafter described in detail. The ramps are circular in formation and each ramp gradually increases in height from the plate surface to a maximum and then each ramp terminates abruptly to form a stop for the latching levers as will be clearly understood as the description proceeds. The ramps are disposed in inside and outside circular paths and their inclination in said paths are reversed. As a resuit of this arrangement an equal nurnber of ramp stops are formed and disposed in two concentric paths for coaction with the latching levers, respectively.

The switch operating shaft l2 is keyed at 13 to the central hub section lid which is integral with the operating lever 15. rl`he hub section 14 is mounted in a central opening in the reinforced section il of the stop plate I@ and the retaining ring t6 locks the hub section 14, and thus the operating lever I5, in place on the stop plate while permitting rotation oi the lever in either direction. One arm, namely i@ of the lever which projects to the left, FIGURE l, extends over the inside ramp path only, whereas the arm 2t) of the lever 15 projecting to the right extends over both ramp paths and terminates near the outer edge of the outside ramp path. The arms accordingly have different lengths and they pivotally support the latching levers 2l and 22, respectively, which are adapted to engage the ramp stops in their particular circular path.

Referring to FIGURE 2 it will be understood that latching lever 2l is pivoted at 24 to arm 13 of lever l5, and the said latching lever is provided with a latching portion 25 at its outer end and with a camming pin 26 at its inner end. The latching lever 22 is pivoted at 27 to arm 2d of lever IS and said latching lever is provided lwith a latching portion 3d at its outer end and with a camming pin 31 at its inner end. The latching levers each coact with their arms in the manner as best shown in FIGURES l and 2. Each latching lever terminates approximately flush with its arm and the same is resiliently maintained in a stop engaging position by the respective coil springs 32 and 33.

It has been previously explained that the latching levers 2l and 22 are adapted to coact with ramp stops disposed in different concentric paths. The inside path is formed by the ramps 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 and 39, and which terminate in stops 40, 41, 42;, 43, 44 and 45. The outside path is formed by the ramps 46, d'7, 4125,49, Sti and 5l, which terminate in ramp stops 52, 53, 54, 55, 56 and 57. The ramps in the inside path increase in height in a clockwise direction whereas the ramps in the outside path increase in height in a counter-clockwise direction. Thus the ramp stops in the respective paths are in opposed relation, such as 4i, 54 and 42, 55, with a space existing between each opposed pair` for accommodating the latching levers. In FIGURE 1 the operating lever l5 is shown in an equilibrium position with part 25 of latching lever 21 in contact with the ramp stop lil and with part 30 of latching lever 22 in contact with ramp stop 56. Accordingly the operating lever 15 is held in a manner which prevents clockwise rotation as `'veil as counterclockwise rotation of the lever.

The actuating handle for the mechanical switch cperator is indicated by numeral 60, FIGURE 2, and said handle is suitably fixed to shaft 61. The shaft 61 is journalled at the end adjacent the handle by the part 63, and said shaft is journalled at its opposite end by the hub section 14 of the actuating lever 15. The retaining ring 6d is secured to the hub section and said ring locks the shaft in place while permitting rotation of the shaft to rotate a cocking lever which structure will now be described.

The cocking lever 65 is mounted on and keyed to shaft '61 so that actuation of the operating handle 6d will be transmitted through the shaft 61 to said cocking lever. Each arm of the operating lever 15 is connected by a power spring to the free end of the cooking lever. Considering first the arm 1S, it will be observed that a socket part 66 is pivotally joined by the pivot pin 67 to the arm '13 and which is held to the pivot pin by the spring clip 6d. A rod 70 is slidably telescoped by the socket part 66, and said rod is fixed to the base part 71 which is in turn pivoted at 72?. to the free terminal end of the cocking lever. The power spring 73 is confined between the ledge 74 of the socket part 66 and the base part 71 of the rod 7i). The structure for arm Ztl is substantially the same and which includes a socket part 75 having a ledge 76, the socket part being pivoted to the arm by the pin 77 having the securing clip 78. The rod Sil is slidably telescoped by the socket part '75 and said rod is fixed to a base $1. The base member 81 is pivoted at S2 to the free end of the cocking lever. A second coil spring 83 is confined between the ledge 76 of the socket part 75 and the base 81.

The spring 73 is compressed by actuation of the cocking lever when rotation is desired of the operating lever 15 in a clockwise direction. Spring S3 is compressed by the cocking lever when rotation of the operating lever 15 is desired in a counter-clockwise direction. A switching action of the mechanical switch operator from the equilibrium position of FIGURES 1 and 2 to the next switch position in a clockwise direction is illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4.

Before the handle 60 can be actuated, it is necessary for the operator to release the handle by grasping the ring S and withdrawing the pin 536. It is desirable to have the pin S6 spring energized so as to maintain the same in a locking position and which will require the operator to withdraw the pin before actuating the operating handle 6th to rotate shaft 61 and the cocking lever 65. For illustration purposes it has been assumed that the shaft 61 and cocking lever 65 have been rotated in a clockwise direction. When the parts assume the position as shown in FIGURE 3, it will be seen that rod '70 has been pushed through socket part 66 to a maximum extent,

Vwith the result that the spring 73 is fully compressed.

However, as regards the rod Sil, said rod has been partially withdrawn from socket part 75 to approximately a maximum extent.

When in an equilibrium position as shown in FIGURE 1, the operating lever is held against rotation in a clockwise direction Iby the latching part 311 of the latchtegral therewith a camming portion 88, FIGURES 1, 3, 4 and 5. Said camming portion is arcuate information and at respective ends of the arc cam surfaces are formed such as 9i? and 91, respectively, FIGURE 5. Whereas, cam surface 9i) is adapted to have camming engagement with pin Z6, the camming surface 91 is adapted to have camming engagement with pin 31. It will also be observed that the camming of these respective pins is such as to cause pivoting movement of the latching levers 21 and 22, respectively, in a direction to effect the release ot their iatching portion with the particular ramp stop in contact therewith. For example, when the cocking lever 65 is rotated to the position shown in FIG- URE 3, the camming surface 91 will engage the pin 31 causing pivotal movement of lever 22 in a direction to withdraw latching portion 30 from ramp stop 56. When this takes place operating lever 15 is released and the coil siring 73 is accordingly operative to drive the lever 15 causing rotation of the same in a clockwise direction.

immediately upon release of the latching portion 30 from ramp stop 56, the latching lever 22 will return to a stop engaging position as illustrated in FIGURE 2 due to the force exerted in this direction by the coil spring 33. The latching portion Si? is accordingly in a position to contact the next ramp stop 57 and this limits the rotation of the operating lever 15. However, rotation of the operating lever 15 from the position of FIG- URE l, to the position of FGURE 4 will accomplish a switching operation and the said operating lever will remain in the equilibrium position of FIGURE 4 until the next operation of the device and which may be in either a clockwise or a counter-clockwise direction. For a counter-clockwise switching operation from a vrposition as shown in FIGURE 4, the cocking lever 65 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction to compress and store energy in spring 83. Accordingly the cam surface will have camming action with pin 26 to actuate lever 21 and withdraw latching portion 25 from the ramp stop 41.

It is not unusual for electric switches such as may be associated with the present switch operator to remain in a circuit closed position for a long period of time. During this period an electric current will be flowing through the switch contacts. In an atternpt to open the `switch after a long circuit closed position, the operator may find that `the contacts have adhered or frozen to each other. To mechanically break the frozen contacts the present switch operator can be so designed that the operating shaft 61 will have a solid mechanical connection with the said switch contacts. The said solid mechanical connection will take place automatically and immediately after the operating lever 15 has been released by the latching levers. The; structure merely requires that either socket 66, 75 or both, be made long enough so that physical contact with the base part 71 or 81 can take place when the lever 15 has been rotated 1nto a released position. The resulting solid mechanical connection with the switch contacts will enable the operator to break the frozen contacts and upon this event taking place the compressed coil spring either 73 or 33 will become operative and propel the switch contacts the remaining distance into a circuit open position.

The solid mechanical connection can be obtained by designing the power springs so that they are fully compressed at the latch release point.

The invention is not to be limited to or by details of construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings, as various other forms of the device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

I l. In a multiple position switch operator, the combination with a shaft for actuating electric switch mechanism, of a stop plate in associated relation with the shaft and whereby the shaft may rotate with respect to the plate, a plurality of ramp stops on the plate disposed in spaced relation in two paths and which are concentric with the shaft as an axis of rotation, an operating lever xed to the shaft and positioned relatively adjacent the concentric paths, a pair of latching levers pivotally carried by the operating lever and having operable contact with the ramp stops in the paths respectively to lock the operating lever in any one of a plurality of positions, power means in the form of a plurality of coil springs for effecting rotation of the operating lever and thus rotation of the shaft, means adapted to be manually actuated for storing energy in a selected coil spring by compressing the coil spring, and camming surfaces provided by said manually actuated means for camming a certain latching lever to effect actuation of the same for releasing the operating lever when the energy stored in the selected coil spring reaches a predetermined maximum.

2. In a multiple position switch operator as defined by claim 1, wherein the means adapted to be manually actuated includes a cocking lever mounted for rotation on the axis of rotation, wherein each coil spring is operatively connected to the cocking lever and to the operating lever at one side of said axis of rotation, and wherein said cocking lever is provided with the said camming surfaces for camming the latching levers respectively.

3. In a multiple position switch operator for actuating electric switch mechanism, the combination with a switch operating shaft adapted to be rotated in either direction, of a stop plate in associated relation with the shaft and whereby said shaft may rotate with respect to the plate, an operating lever fixed to the shaft and providing diametrically disposed arms each being positioned relatively adjacent the plate, a latching lever pivotally carried by each arm and having one end terminating near the shaft and its other end near the periphery of the stop plate, a plurality of ramp stops provided by the plate and which are located in spaced relation in two circular paths concentric with the shaft as an axis of rotation, one latching lever having operable contact with the stops in one circular path for holding the operating lever in a plurality of selected positions and which prevent rotation of the operating lever in a clockwise direction, the other latching lever having operable contact with the stops in the other circular path for holding the operating lever in a plurality of selected positions and which prevent rotation of the operating lever in a counterclockwise direction, power means for effecting rotation of the operating lever and thus rotation of the shaft, and manually actuated means for storing energy in the power means and for camming a certain latching lever to effect release of the same from a ramp stop to release the operating lever simultaneously with the energy stored in the power means reaching a predetermined maximum.

4. In a multiple position switch operator as defined by claim 3, wherein the ramp stops are respectively formed by ramps which gradually increase in height to a maximum and then terminate abruptly, and wherein the ramps in one circular path increase in height in a clockwise direction, whereas the ramps in the other circular path increase in height in a counterclockwise direction.

5 In a multiple position switch operator as defined by claim 3, wherein the manually actuated means includes a cocking lever mounted for rotation on the axis of rotation, wherein the power means includes a pair of coil springs with each spring being operatively connected to the cocking lever and to one of said arms, and wherein said cocking lever is provided with the said camming surfaces for camming the latching levers respectively.

6. In a multiple position switch operator. for actuating 7 electric switch mechanism, the combination with a switch operating shaft adapted to be rotated in either direction, of a stationary stop plate in associated relation with the shaft and whereby the shaft may rotate with respect to the plate, an operating lever fixed to the shaft and providing diametrically disposed arms each being positioned rela tively adjacent the plate, a latching lever pivotally carried by each arm and having one end terminating near the shaft and its other end near the periphery of the stop plate, a plurality of ramp stops provided by the plate and which are located in spaced relation in two circular paths concentric with the shaft as an axis of rotation, whereby the ramp stops are disposed in pairs including at least one stop in each circular path and which lare in opposed relation, one latching lever having operable contact with the stops in one circular path for holding the operating lever in a plurality of selected positions and which prevent rotation of the operatinglever in a clockwise direction, the other latching lever having operable contact with the stops in the other circular path for holding the operating lever in a plurality of selected positions and which prevent rotation of the operating lever in a counterclockwise direction, a cocking lever mounted for manual rotation on said axis of rotation, a power coil spring operatively connected to each arm and to the cocking lever, whereby rotation of the cocking lever with the operating lever being latched against movement will compress one of the coil springs depending on the direction of rotation to store energy in said spring, and cam surfaces provided by the cocking lever and located to have camming action with the latching levers, respectively, at their end adjacent the shaft to effect actuation of the latching levers for releasing the operating lever.

7. In a multiple position switch operator for actuating electric switch mechanism as defined by claim 6, wherein each power coil spring is confined between a base part pivotally secured to the cocking lever and a socket part pivotally secured to one of said arms, and additionally including a rod fixed to and projecting from each base part, each said rod extending through and being slidable` with `its particular socket part.

8. In a multiple position switch operator for actuating switch mechanism, the combination with a switch operating shaft adapted to be rotated in either direction, an operating lever fixed to the shaft and providing diametrically `disposed arms, a latching lever pivotally carried by each arm and having selective contact with spaced stops positioned in the path of the respective latching lever, a cocking lever mounted for manual rotation on the same axis as provided by the switch operating shaft, a power coil spring operatively connected to each arm and to the cocking lever by means of a socketrpart and a base part pivotally secured to the operating lever and to the cocking lever, respectively, whereby rotation of the cocking lever with the operating lever being latched against movement will compress one of the coil springs depending on the direction of rotation to store energy in the said spring, cam surfaces provided by the cocking lever and located to have camming action with the latching levers, respectively, to effect actuation of the latching levers for releasing the operating lever, and the said socket and base parts each being so constructed and arranged as to provide a solid mechanical connection between the operating shaft and the switch mechanism, provided the cocking lever has been rotated at least to an extent to cause release of the operating lever.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 557,777 4/96 Dresher 20D-65 768,474 8/04 Marshall 200-65 1,414,431 5/22 Mardis 74-565 2,591,017 4/52 Schultz 74-565 2,970,199 1/61 Dull et al.

BROUGHTON G. DURHAM, Primary Examiner.

MILTON KAUFMAN, Examiner. 

1. IN A MULTIPLE POSITION SWITCH OPERATOR, THE COMBINATION WITH A SHAFT FOR ACTUATING ELECTRIC SWITCH MECHANISM, OF A STOP PLATE IN ASSOCIATED RELATION WITH THE SHAFT AND WHEREBY THE SHAFT MAY ROTATE WITH RESPECT TO THE PLATE, A PLURALITY OF RAMP STOPS ON THE PLATE DISPOSED IN SPACED RELATION IN TWO PATHS AND WHICH ARE CONCENTRIC WITH THE SHAFT AS AN AXIS OF ROTATION, AN OPERATING LEVER FIXED TO THE SHAFT AND POSITIONED RELATIVELY ADJACENT THE CONCENTRIC PATHS, A PAIR OF LATCHING LEVERS PIVOTALLY CARRIED BY THE OPERATING LEVER AND HAVING OPERABLE CONTACT WITH THE RAMP STOPS IN THE PATHS RESPECTIVELY TO LOCK THE OPERATING LEVER IN ANY ONE OF A PLURALITY OF POSITIONS, POWER MEANS IN THE FORM OF A PLURALITY OF COIL SPRINGS FOR EFFECTING ROTATION OF THE OPERATING LEVER AND THUS ROTATION OF THE SHAFT, MEANS ADAPTED TO BE MANUALLY ACTUATED FOR STORING ENERGY IN A SELECTED COIL SPRING BY COMPRESSING THE COIL SPRING, AND CAMMING SURFACES PROVIDED BY SAID MANUALLY ACTUATED MEANS FOR CAMMING A CERTAIN LATCHING LEVER TO EFFECT ACTUATING OF THE SAME FOR RELEASING THE OPERATING LEVER WHEN THE ENERGY STORED IN THE SELECTED COIL SPRING REACHES A PREDETERMINED MAXIMUM. 